Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Sparta Township is healthier than 71%
Sparta Township differs from Illinois on 9 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 3 better, 6 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 61488, 61467, 61401, 61448. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Sparta Township
Cancer, COPD and heart disease run high in Sparta Township
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.2%), vs 7.6% across Illinois. 1 in 12 adults have COPD (8.3%), vs 6.3% across Illinois. Heart disease is also above the state: 7.6%, vs 5.9% across Illinois. In all, Sparta Township runs above Illinois on five of 11 chronic conditions. Conditions ↓
Sparta Township is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Sparta Township is healthier than 55%. Against the 10,452 towns with similar household incomes ($52K–$86K), it’s healthier than 71%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Illinois figure falls outside Sparta Township’s likely range; Sparta Township’s figures come from ZIP codes 61488, 61467, 61401, 61448, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
What’s behind Sparta Township’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sparta Township is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 61% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 45%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Sparta Township’s median household income is $69,028; among the 10,452 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($52K–$86K), it’s healthier than 71%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Sparta Township adults…
Sparta Township runs above IL on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Sparta Township
No hospital or community health center in Sparta Township itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Sparta Township; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with Illinois
Share of adults, with the Illinois figure marked.
1.6 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Keeping up with care
Share of Sparta Township adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Illinois.
How Sparta Township adults are doing
About the same as Illinois on each measure.
1 in 3 Sparta Township adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.5% of Sparta Township adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 13.8% across Illinois.
Sparta Township and the towns around it
Sparta Township has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparta Township | B | 36.8% | 12.2% | 14.1% | ZIP codes |
| Copley Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Henderson Township | C | 38.5% | 13.3% | 15.7% | ZIP codes |
| Knox Township | C+ | 37.6% | 12.9% | 14.7% | ZIP codes |
| Ontario Township | — | — | — | — |
Copley Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Ontario Township: not graded. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Sparta Township adults live with a disability (Illinois 27.6%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Sparta Township
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Sparta Township is better than Illinois on 3 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Illinois figure falls inside Sparta Township’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Sparta Township | IL | U.S. | vs IL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.1%16.3–22 | 18.6% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 14%12.2–16 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.3–18.6 | 15.6% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 36.8%28.7–45.1 | 34% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.2%10.5–14.2 | 11.7% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.2%32.7–41.6 | 33% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 38.4%33.7–43.1 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 30.2%26.5–33.9 | 24.2% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 10.3%9–11.7 | 9.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.2–11.2 | 7.6% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.6%6.7–8.5 | 5.9% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 8.3%7.1–9.5 | 6.3% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.5–4.3 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.1%11.3–17.1 | 10.3% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.1%11.6–16.6 | 12.1% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.2%19.8–28.9 | 23% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 17.4%14.2–20.8 | 17.8% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.6%27.7–41.9 | 35.4% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6–9 | 9.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.5%75.9–82.9 | 77.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 64.1%60–67.8 | 63.4% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.7%85.9–89.4 | 87.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.8%75.7–81.7 | 75.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.2%59.6–70.4 | 60.2% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 71.3%61.9–79 | 73.5% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.7%18.1–25.5 | 19.8% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 31.8%26.6–37.2 | 33.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.5%19.9–27.5 | 25.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 12.9%10.7–15.2 | 15.9% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.2%8.6–12 | 13.2% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.7%5.7–7.8 | 7.8% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7%6.1–8.1 | 8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.5%10.4–14.7 | 13.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31%26.5–35.6 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15%12.8–17.3 | 12.8% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.3%11.5–15.2 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.2%7.2–9.2 | 6.2% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 4.9%4.3–5.5 | 4.8% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.4%7.4–9.6 | 7.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3.8%3.4–4.3 | 3.5% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Illinois figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Sparta Township
Is Sparta Township a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Sparta Township is healthier than 55% of U.S. towns: ≈ B for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Sparta Township?
CDC estimates 36.8% of adults have obesity, likely between 28.7% and 45.1%, against 34% across Illinois and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Sparta Township?
St. Mary Medical Center in Galesburg, 5.5 miles in a straight line from Sparta Township’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Sparta Township have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6–9%), against 9.9% across Illinois.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Sparta Township more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Sparta Township.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Illinois figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.